Space contract awards on the day the government announces them, from the official daily sources: the Department of War contract list, NASA, Space Systems Command and Space Development Agency releases, and SAM.gov award notices. Every amount says what it is, and every row links to the official page. Free to read. How this list is built
How this list is built
What counts as space
NASA, Space Systems Command and Space Development Agency awards count by agency. On the Department of War list and SAM.gov, an award counts when the contracting office is a space office (Space Systems Command FA88xx offices, SDA, AFRL Space Vehicles), the contracting activity names a space organisation, the government's own product or industry code is a space code, or the description names space work (satellite, spacecraft, launch vehicle, orbit and similar). The words "Space Force" alone do not count: they mostly name bases, and base-support work there (dormitories, roads, fuel, fire protection) is not space work. On the Department of War list and SAM.gov, construction and base-support work needs a clear space word even when a space office buys it, and a general word such as "space science" counts only when a space office or agency buys the work. NASA facility work stays listed, marked as facility work, and never heads the homepage. Each row says why it is listed, quoting the words that matched. The same rules drive our procurement watch.
What each amount means
- award
- The value the announcement gives for the contract, order or agreement itself. "About" means the source said "approximately". An indefinite-delivery (IDIQ) or requirements contract never reads this way: its stated value is a maximum, so it reads "up to".
- modification of
- The value of this change to an existing contract, not the contract total. When the source states the new total, it is shown as "contract now" (or "ceiling now up to" when the source gives a ceiling).
- order
- A task or delivery order placed under an existing contract vehicle.
- up to (ceiling)
- The most the government may spend over the life of the contract. Real spending is usually far lower; the amount obligated at award is shown beside it when the source states it. A ceiling shared by several companies (a multiple-award contract or blanket purchase agreements) belongs to the contract vehicle, not to any one company, and shows as "amount not stated".
- up to (maximum)
- A maximum value, the same idea as a ceiling, including the stated value of an indefinite-delivery contract.
- estimated
- An estimated value, usually for a requirements contract where the quantity is not fixed.
- amount not stated
- The source did not state an amount we can read without guessing, or stated only the value of a larger contract vehicle this order sits under.
Amounts are read from the announcement's own wording with fixed phrase rules, never estimated. When a release quotes only the ceiling of a larger contract vehicle (for example "$1 billion across all contracts"), the award shows as "amount not stated". The same goes for a ceiling shared by several companies (a multiple-award contract or blanket purchase agreements), and for a figure printed in a form we cannot read without guessing (for example "$100,00"). We never add ceilings together.
On the homepage
The homepage tile "Latest announced space contract" shows the newest award on this list from the last 7 days. When several were announced the same day, it shows the one with the largest stated amount; an award with no stated amount appears there only when nothing announced that day has one. Facility work and withdrawn awards never appear there. With nothing in 7 days, the tile shows the newest award in our USAspending record and says so.
Sources, timing and lags
- War.gov daily contracts. One list each business day, published about 5 pm Eastern. War.gov lists only contract actions of $7.5 million or more. We re-read the five newest lists on every run to pick up corrections and late posts. Last read Oct 7, 19:13 UTC.
- NASA press release. NASA press releases that announce a contract or order, usually within two days of the award. Releases rarely give a contract number. Last read Oct 7, 19:13 UTC.
- Space Systems Command news. Space Systems Command newsroom stories about awards, including prototype agreements that never appear in the daily list. The feed carries a short summary; the full story is on the linked page. Last read Oct 7, 19:13 UTC.
- Space Development Agency news. Space Development Agency announcements of awards, a few a year but often very large. Last read Oct 7, 19:13 UTC.
- SAM.gov award notice. Award notices posted on SAM.gov, read once a day for the previous day. Posting is required for many awards over $25,000 but compliance is uneven and the amount is often blank. Notices carry the recipient UEI, which is how we match companies exactly. Not read yet.
When two sources carry the same award we list it once if the contract and modification numbers match, or if exactly one award fits the same company, agency, week and stated amount. When neither is certain (a notice with no amount or no contract number), both may appear. The Department of War list supplies the figures first, then the agency release, then SAM.gov; SAM.gov adds the recipient's UEI. A company is linked only on a UEI or an exact name match. Official corrections update the row they name (same contract and modification, and the company or amount they quote must agree) and are marked.
Announcements come before the spending record. USAspending.gov shows civilian awards a few days later, and Department of War awards only after a 90-day public delay, which is why our USAspending award record trails this list. Awards under $7.5 million at the Department of War appear here only when SAM.gov carries a notice.